Volunteers Needed for Osprey Monitoring
Citizen Science Program
Orientation Sessions to be held on March 13, 20, April 3, 2016
????Spring will eventually return to New England and with it will come the Ospreys!?? Once again, a close eye will be kept on the local population of these amazing birds.
??Audubon Society of Rhode Island manages the Rhode Island Osprey Monitoring Program, a network of volunteer observers who report on the breeding success of these fish-eating raptors.?? Osprey continue to be an excellent indicator of environmental health in aquatic ecosystems, as their remarkable recovery from the effects of DDT is truly an environmental success story. Thanks to efforts by Audubon Society of Rhode Island and other environmental groups, DDT was banned in 1972 and Osprey have made a tremendous comeback in Rhode Island.??
??The Osprey Monitoring Program relies on over 90 volunteers to monitor 209 known nesting sites across the state.?????Observing Osprey provides us with information about the health of our local ecosystems,??? explained Audubon Director of Volunteer Services Jon Scoones. ???By watching these sentinels, we not only learn more about wildlife and natural habitats, but also about the level of our impact on these special places and unique species. It is a great testament to the dedication of Audubon volunteers that this citizen-science program continues to thrive.???????
??Audubon recorded 239 Osprey fledglings in 2015, compared to 186 in 2014 and just 8 in 1977 (the year the program was founded.) The attached 2015 Rhode Island Osprey Report provides charts on both the number of nests and young Osprey fledged annually since 1977. Also included are the quantity and location of nests per city or town in the state.
??Osprey Behavior Documented by Audubon Monitor in 2015
??In addition to recording a record number of young in 2015, the Audubon Osprey Monitoring Program also played a key role in recording previously undocumented behavior in the species.
??Warren resident and long-time monitor Butch Lombardi witnessed first-hand a behavior called ???nest-hopping??? when a young female Osprey decided to stop along the Palmer River and take up residence in a nest during her migration. Not only did she move right in, but quickly pushed out the resident fledgling and was fed in her adopted nest by adult Osprey for approximately ten days. Although ???nest-hopping??? had been seen before in close proximity to where Osprey hatch, it had never been witnessed as a long-distance occurrence during migration.
??This particular Osprey had been tagged by Dr. Rob Bierregard, research associate with the Academy of Natural Science at Drexel University. A nonotransmitter had been attached to her back so that her journey south could be documented. Bierregard has tagged over 95 Osprey since 2000, and this exciting and unusual behavior documented by the Audubon Osprey Monitoring program was a first. Not only does this program provide valuable information on the health of these raptors and their habitats, but it also has made a contribution to scientific knowledge of the species.
??Become a Citizen Scientist and Join the Fun!
Osprey Monitoring Program Orientation
??For those who may be interested in becoming a volunteer monitor or just want to learn more about this citizen-science program, the 2016 Osprey Monitoring Program orientation schedule is as follows:??????????????
Sunday March 13, 2016; 2:00 pm????Audubon Environmental Education Center????1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI
??Sunday March 20, 2015; 2:00 pm??Audubon Society of Rhode Island Headquarters????12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI
??Sunday April 3, 2015; 2:30-3:30 pm?? Fish & Game Kettle Pond Office 50 Bend Road, Charlestown, RI??????????????????
??Candidates need only attend one session.???? Following is a link to sign up. https://audubon.formstack.com/forms/volunteerfornature_ospreyinfosessions
??Or contact Jon at jscoones@asri.org for more information